Automobile latch



Dec. 26, 1939. R T 2,184,388

AUTOMOBILE LATCH v v Filed Oct. 23, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l I N V EN TOR.

ARTHUR A. KPH/ 7 H/JATTORNEYS.

Dc. 26, 1939. KRAFT 2,184,388

' AUTOMOBILE LATCH Filed Oct. 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I "a "Hill- II|IJ||' m vs ME INVENTOR. z I ARTHURA/IRF ///,S ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 26, 1939 Parent QFFI'QE AUTOMOBILE: moon Arthur. A.- Kraft, .St. Louis, .Md., assignoiz. t0.lWi'lliam H. Bi'ggs, St. Louis, 1V['o.,-asv trustee Application October 23; 1937; Serial 1 Not 170,542

Claims..-

a type-particular1y=adapted 'for' automobile doors-.- An olcxiiect of this invention is to provideon a door a latchwhich will make the door easy to close-r Specifically it is= to provide a=1atch with a bolt-havingrmeansfor-holding the bolt in retracted position, which means are-displaceable by :ak-eeper to release-the bolt upon closing the doors Another object-ofthe invention is to providea; door latch having a bolt retractable by outside retracting mechanism and inside retractable mechanism with means operable by theinside retractable mechanism for rending' the' outsideretractablemechanism inoperative.

Another object 'of the invention is to provide a'doorlatch retractable by a spindle having means carried by the spindlefor disassociating the spin= dle from the boltto prevent unauthorized manip ulation';

Another object of the inventionis to provide latch' mechanism -a--retractab1e bolt, a control leverand retracting -mechanis-m and having a sing le spring-operable tourge each ofthe three elements toward a normal'position; and operable to =cause the movement= of any of the threeelements without necessarily operating the other two elements.

In addition there is the generalobj ect to providesa door latch which is efliei'entin operation;

economical to manufactu-re; and which may bereadilydisassembled for repair:

Otherand specificobjects willbe apparent from" the followingdetail'description; taken-in conneetion with the=- accompanying drawings;

Fig. 1' is an elevation showinga latch embodying: this:--invention Fig. 2' isan elevation partly in section showing; the-parts af-terthey have been moved" by" outsidewetracting' mechanism-to retract the bolt;

Fig.5?) isan elevation-partly in'section'showing the-position: of "the par-ts after 'the control lever has been moved to non 'operative position.

Fig. 4 is .acrosssection approximately on line 4-:-4,..Fig 1.

Fig. 5 is across section online E -5, Fig; 2;

Fig. 6' is a detail-partly in section showing a spindle which .constitutes apart of the outside retracting mechanism and showing means mounteds-on the spindle for rocking: the control lever. The latchimechanismi ismounte'd in or on the (C1. .292 -332jj This= invention relates to closure fasteners of dfes;-- The retaining" plate 3 also preferably formed from sheet metal; hasdownwardly extendingflanges 4-for spacing it from the frontplated and issecu-red-to the front plate bya screw= 5 Which-passes through the retaining'plate" auer-is threaded in "-the front plate I;

retractable bolt -6 is mounted for sliding movement and has a head 1 "passingthrough an orifice in the-selvage plate" 2 and ashank 8,- preferably of sheet-metal secured-as a specifi- 10' cal-ly 's-hown inthe drawings -by a rivet 9 'to the head I? The-shank' of the bolthas-a*longitudinal slot- HP- and the bolt isguided" in "part by apin H secured to thefront-platea l and having a' headl2. or' f-r'a'me; an enlargementl3'-is" provided at the forward end= of-the slot lll to passth'e head 12 of th-e pin.-

A guide and-bushing member I4 is securedto the ffont' plate an'dhas its front edge :surrounding a" portionof the -orifi'c'e intheselvage plate, as showm'in' -Figs. 4 and 51 A second bushing member" I Whats -a flat portion secured to theinn'er faGe ofthe sewage-plate and an outturned portion I6 extending" about the'edgeof the orifice over that portion not covered' or-protected by the bushing 'memb'er M5 The bushing member l4 has a--longitudinal= part which serves as a guide fdr theb'olt A retainin'g pin I'Fis mounted for rotation on the front plate-l and-hasahea'd T8 of the peculiar conformation as- -shown with acleft I9-for"en" gagement by-a screw driver. A'stop 2U for the head la of the retaining pinisformed on'the front plate I; The head-l8 has a straight edge 5 2 I-- forengage'ment with the'stop 20 an'd'a straight edge-'2 2 -for engagement with the top I edge of the bolt; that'i's-the top edge of theshank- 8; The head--18 also-has its outer edge 23"positioned to engage-a stop-orqug-"M ou the" upper surface of v the shank 8 of the -bolt.

It will now be "understood that the retaining member I'I holds the bolt in assembly on the casing; but'by -tixrnihgthe-pinl! in a' clock w'ise di-rection' the-bolt 6 may beretracted to bring the-heacl '1 2 of the pin I I 1 into registry with the slot enlargem'ent I3; thereby permitting the removal-.ofxthe ibolt fandzalso' providing for assembly of the boltron thecasing:

The :outer end or edge: of::the-:boltis bevelled, aszshowniinxFigs 4*and'5, the bevel 25 extending outwardly.fromsthe-innerxto the outer longitudinal i face:of.:l'the.,boltz The outer face of the bolt has aalo-ngitudinali. groove; 126:"? terminating. near the enda-of; thexboltziinza: deeper; recesssfl; the.-inner;-

For-assemblingthe- -bolt in the casing 15 edge of the recess cooperating with a ball 28 to automatically hold the bolt in retracted position until the ball is displaced. The ball 28 is urged outwardly by a spring 29. The ball 28 and spring 29 are retained in a housing 3|], the housing being secured to the casing by rivets 3| passing through flanges 32, bushing member l5 and selvage plate 2, thereby also holding the bushing member and housing in assembly.

The spring 29 urges the ball 28 outwardly so that it bears in the groove 26 of the bolt 6 and against the edge I6 of the bushing surrounding the orifice in the selvage plate. The parts are so proportioned that when the bolt is in extended position, as shown in Fig. 4, the outer edge of the ball will be substantially even with the outer edge of the selvage plate 2. But when the bolt is retracted the larger recess 21 permits the ball to be extended, as shown in Fig. 5, so that its Outer edge extends substantially beyond the selvage plate, while by wedging between the edge l6 about the orifice and the inner surface of the recess the bolt is retained in its retracted position until the ball 28 is displaced. The ball is displaced normally by striking against a keeper when the door upon which the latch is mounted is closed. The advantages of these functions may be apparent. Ordinarily when a door carrying a latch is. open, the bolt is permitted to re- ;sume its extended position and the force in closing the door is expected to retract the bolt by action between the keeper and a bevel on the front end of the bolt. Thus retracting the bolt in closing a door requires considerable force. But with the present invention, when the door is closed only sufficient force is needed to cause necessary action of the latch as will be required to displace the ball 28, since the bolt will be held in retracted position until the door is in position to permit the bolt to slide into its keeper.

'Nevertheless the arrangement of the present device is such that a bevel is provided to enable the door to be closed in a usual manner in case the ball for any reason should be inefiective to retain the bolt, or in case the ball should be accidentally displaced while the door is open.

The bolt 6 is constructed and arranged to be The control lever is pivotally mounted on the shank 8 of the bolt 6 by a pin 34 and is a lever of the first class having a downwardly extending arm 35 and a rearwardly extending arm 36. The control lever is urged in a clockwise direction by a spring 31, later to be described in some detail, which has an end bearing against a lug 38 extending laterally from the arm 35 of the control lever while its movement in a clockwise direction is limited by engagement between a forwardly extending lug '39 positioned to strike the rear edge of the head 1 of 'the bolt.

The rearwardly extending arm 36 on the control lever has a lug or abutment 40, which when the lever is in operating position may be engaged by a dog 4! on a slide 42 movable by the outside retracting mechanism.

If the control lever 33 is rocked in a counter-clockwise direc-.

tion the abutment 40 may be raised sufficiently to move it out of the path of the dog 4| on the slide and in this position, referred to herein as non-operative position, the outside retracting mechanism will have no connection with the bolt and'cannot move it although such mechanism is allowed freedom of movement.

The inside retracting mechanism includes a link 43 having a pin 44 passing through the slot ID, the pin having a crosshead 45. It will be understood that the link is operable by a lever extending inside of the closure to which the latch is applied; that is, for instance, by a lever on the inside of the door of an automobile and furnishes means for unlatching the fastener from the inside. When the bolt is moved by the outside retracting mechanism, the pin 44 slides in the slot I0, thus permitting the latch to be operated from the outside independently of the inside retracting mechanism. It will also be apparent that when the bolt is retracted by movement of the link 44 to the right, as shown in the drawing, the abutment 40 merely moves away from the dog 4| on the slide 42, so that the latch may be operated from the inside independently and without manipulating or moving the outside retracting mechanism.

A cooperating relationship is provided between the link 43 and the control lever 33 so that by overthrowing the link 43 the lever may be raised. This cooperative relationship includes a cam surface 46 at the end of the rear arm 36, which is in the path of the outer end of the link pin 44. It will be understood that the extension of the link pin 44, for this purpose, is in reality a part of the link 43. It will be apparent, therefore, that by moving the link 43 to the left the extension on the link pin 44 will engage the cam surface 46 on the control lever, rocking the control lever 33, thereby raising its abutment 40 out of the path of the dog 4| so that when the link has been so moved connection is broken between the bolt and the outside retracting mechanism.

The outside retracting mechanism includes a spindle 41 which carries means for also rocking the control lever to non-operative position. This means includes a sliding pawl 48 passing diametrically through the spindle 41 and positioned to engage the downwardly extending arm 35 of the control lever when moved outwardly, to the right as shown in Fig. 1, or upwardly as shown in Fig. 6. The pawl can be projected by a key 49 through a lock shaft 50 which has at its end an eccentric pin 5|. It will be understood that the construction and arrangement of the pawl operable by a lock shaft and by a key is old and well known in other combinations, and need not be described in detail. And it will now be understood that 2 upon turning the key 49 the pawl 48 may be extended to rock the control lever placing it in non-operative position and placing the bolt out of control of the outside retracting mechanism.

The slide 42 is supported for longitudinal movement by a lug or flange 52 secured toor struck out from the front plate I The slide is operated by a cam or dog 53 journalled in the front plate I and retaining plate 3 and positioned therebetween. It has centrally a square opening to receive the inner end 54, which is square in cross section, of the spindle 41. The spindle 41 extends outwardly from the closure upon which the fastener is placed and has a. handle 55 for manual operation. It may now be understood that when the control lever 33 is in operative position the spindle 41 may be turned by the handle 55 iii thereby rotating the cam or dog 53, which engages the front end of the slide 42; and because of the engagement of the dog 4| on the slide 42 with the abutment 40 on the control lever the bolt 6 will be retracted.

A novel spring arrangement is provided whereby the parts are urged to an initial or normal position by the single spring 31. The spring 31, which is spiral in form, has its outer end bearing against the lug 38 on the control lever 33, as previously described, and has its inner end secured to a spindle or pin 56 journalled in the plates l and 3. The pin 56 is secured to a cam 51 which bears against an arm 58 integral with a segmented gear 59, which is also journalled for rotation between the plates i and 3 and which is in mesh with a rack on the lower edge'of the slide 42. It will now be seen that the spring 31 through its connection at its inner end urges the outside retracting mechanism (including the slide 42, cam 53 and. spindle 3'!) to a normal position while the outer end urges the control lever toward operative position and urges the bolt to ex-v extended position regardless of the position of the control leveror the retracting mechanism, and the outside retractingmechanism will be urged toward initial position regardless of the position of the'control lever or the bolt.

The simplicity of the device and its economy of construction will be apparent from the foregoing description. Most of the parts maybe manufactured economically by stamping from sheet metal. The assembly and disassembly of the device is simple. Except for turning the retaining pin l1, removal and replacement of the spring 3'! and the screw 5, the device may be speedily disassembled and reassembled without the use of tools.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention, and parts of the invention may be used without the whole.

I claim:

1. In a latch, the combinationcomprising a selvage plate, a sliding bolt passing through an orifice in the selvage plate and having a recess ina longitudinal face'adjacent its end, a spring ball adapted to rest in said recess when the bolt is retracted and by wedging between the edge of the recess and the edge of the orifice to hold the bolt in retracted position until the ball is displaced. 1

2. In a latch, the combination comprising a selvage plate, a sliding bolt passing through an urging the bolt toward extended position, and a the bolt in retracted position until the ball is displaced. v

3. In a latch, the combination comprising a selvage plate, a sliding bolt passing through an orifice in the selvage plate and having a recess in a longitudinal face adjacent its end, a spring urging the bolt toward extended position, a housing inwardly from said selvage plate and along the bolt, a ball in the housing, and a spring in the housing beyond the ball arranged and adapted to cause the ball to rest in said recess when the bolt is retracted and by wedging between the bolt and the edge of the orifice to hold the bolt in retracted position until the ball is displaced,

4. In a latch, the combination comprising a H selvage plate, a sliding bolt passing through an orifice in the selvage plate and having a groove in the longitudinal face enlarged near the end of the bolt, a spring urging the bolt toward extended position, and a ball supported and adapted to engage in the groove and to rest in the enlarged portion thereof when the bolt is retracted and by wedging between the edge of said enlarged portion and the edge of the orifice to hold the bolt in retracted position until the ball is displaced.

5. In a latch the combination comprising a selvage plate, a sliding bolt passing through an orifice in the selvage plate and having a recess in a longitudinal face adjacent its end, a spring urgingthe bolt toward extended position, and a ball positioned to lie in engagement with and along said longitudinal facewhen the bolt is in retracted, extended and intermediate positions,

and to rest in said recess when the bolt is retracted and by wedging between the edge of the recess and the edge of the orifice to hold the bolt in retracted position'until the bolt is displaced.

' ARTHUR A. KRAFT. 

